Psalm 1 describes the blessed person as one who has dug deep into God’s Word, making it the source of his daily meditation. In pursuit of this kind of blessed life, we briefly review the sermon from the previous Sunday. May you be like a tree planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in its season (Psalm 1:3). This week we look back at Pastor Kim’s sermon on Luke 2:8-14.
An excerpt:
“As you struggle to find rest, as you search for peace, you must realize that your story is part of a bigger story in which God is the author. Some of you might feel discouraged, lonely, overwhelmed, afraid, stressed, bitter… but it is because you are letting your circumstances become your whole story, when it only a part of the much bigger story that God is creating out of your life, which is part of the greater story of the Bible. What makes it difficult, it is so easy to see our story as our circumstances; to let the difficulties and sufferings and busyness of life become the filter through which you see your world, and so life becomes about what is happening in the immediate… but there is so much more going on. Your story is part of a bigger story, one in which Jesus is the hero and who will not only one day make everything right, but even now creating something marvelous for your good and his glory. Often in our trials and sufferings, it’s like we choose to walk up to this incredible mural until you can only see a few inches of the painting, not realizing the masterpiece that is before you, the masterpiece that God is creating in and with your life. And so you must believe this – in love, God is doing something amazing in your life, some of you will understand at some point, but so much more on the other side of eternity; one day it will all be revealed to you and you will rejoice at God’s lavish grace.”
Question: Is there something in your life that has consumed so much of your attention that you are not focusing on Christ? Spend some time in prayer, entrusting those things to God asking him to give you the grace to focus on him.
“…finding peace is not about better circumstances, but resting in the love and care of Christ. Too often we focus on circumstances and not enough the person of Christ; but we must believe that because of Christ’s infinite love that our lives are part of his wise and perfect plan for us, even if we don’t understand it and even if don’t always enjoy it. In other words God is doing something, and so we must work to know him and grow in our love and faith in him. Sometimes with my kids I don’t always have the words to explain a difficult idea; and they will then have to trust me. And since they know me and they know I love them, so they usually do. How much more with should we trust the character and love of Jesus?”
Encouragement: Spend some time focusing on a specific characteristic or two that encourage your love and faith in Christ. After that, consider your struggles in light of who God is and then pray thanking God for his love and grace.
